Happy Earth Day! Here at Denim Therapy we have a favorite way of paying homage to the earth: shopping for eco-friendly denim! With brands like Levi, Nudie Jeans Co. and M2F leading the industry in an inspiring switch towards more earth-loving production practices, you don’t have to search for long to find a pair you love. Today we’re zeroing in on REUSE Jeans—a brand that produces environmentally sound skinny jeans (among other wardrobe essentials) in vibrant pop colors like crayon red and jade green. Even better? These jeans are all under $100.

We’re denim heads here at Denim Therapy. And we don’t hide it, heck, we embrace it! From the fabric’s humble beginnings in Italy, to the jeans’ current status as an international wardrobe staple–nothing defines American style quite like a sturdy pair of jeans.

This Earth Day, we’re taking a look at where your denim comes from. The manufacturing of a pair of jeans is a long and not-very-eco-friendly process, which involves using up to 11 gallons of water per jean! But the eco-conscious denim movement in is full swing. Between Levi’s recently launching their Water<Less denim line, to Nudie’s denim recycling program, we’re happy to report a positive shift in the business in recent years (see our recent eco-friendly denim roundup here).

To find out a little bit more about the traditional manufacturing process of a pair of jeans, check out this interesting video on how jeans are made from the Discovery Channel’s “How It’s Made.” The 10-minute segment follows the production of jeans from their humble beginnings in the cotton fields, through to the manufacturing plants and distressing processes. Did you know your jeans were distressed using volcanic rock and lasers?

Today’s denim tip of the day? Take care of the earth! Sustainable, eco-friendly, environmentally conscious fashion is all the rage these days. And this is one rising trend we can’t support enough. If you’re looking for a stylish pair of jeans that are manufactured to meet the standards of society’s collective eco-conscious effort (or you just want more information on who’s on this bandwagon), check out our round-up of eco-friendly denim brands below.

Serfontaine + This LA-based denim brand that has sworn off chemicals used in the denim-distressing process, and instead use organic fruit enzymes and hand-administered abrasion techniques.

REUSE Jeans + An eco-conscious denim company that began using sustainable 80% recycled fabrics in spring 2010, and is now at the forefront of the battle against the fashion industry’s carbon footprint.

James Jeans+ A brand that proudly uses eco-friendly washes, handmade patterns, and couture draping techniques. They promote various ways to “go green” on their blog—check it out!

M2F+ When you think eco-friendly, you might think earth tones & drab clothing… but M2F has changed the way we envision sustainable denim forever. Their line features vibrant, bright, gorgeous colors that you’ll look amazing in and feel good about wearing. Their manufacturing technology includes two major elements: Certified Chemical Free Made2Fade™ Yarn Technology and the Clear H20 Colors™ Earth Smart Dye Process. You can read more about those at their website, and be sure to read our Q&A with the brand.

7 For All Mankind + This wildly popular brand of denim doesn’t support the use of pesticides, and produces nearly 100% organic jeans (some styles contain a small percentage of spandex) in styles that make is really, really easy to be kinder to the planet.

Kuyichi + The ultimate in sustainable fashion, Kuyichi’s jeans are made using organic cotton and wool, hemp, linens, and techniques like recycled polyester, natural dyes, and vegetable tanning. This European company is rapidly expanding (and we can only hope they’ll brand stateside in the near future).

Green Edge Denim + A denim company with a beautiful mission, Greenedge aims to outfit and educate the younger generations (we’re talking kids & babies) in earth-friendly concepts from the very beginning, with certified organic cotton grown and sustainable treatment processes.

Nudie Jeans + Nudie was recently given an environmental award for their second hand denim collection—a system where customers buying jeans leave a pair of their old ones behind with to receive a discount (and some good karma). Those jeans are then recycled into a new pair for some other denim-loving customer to enjoy.

Aoki Denim + Aoki Denim is produced with raw organic cotton and strives to mesh the idea of aesthetically beautiful fashion with responsible production techniques.

Sling and Stones + The mission of Sling and Stones is simple: “to produce the most luxurious and best fitting jeans in the world, all while protecting the earth and loving its people.” They do so by using American-grown organic Supima cotton that results in virtually pesticide-free product.

Levi’s + Levi’s amazing Water<less denim campaign is saving both water and energy. While most jeans are washed in massive industrial washing machines, wasting an incredible amount of this precious resource, Water<less jeans are cutting down on the amount of water used in a big way. Read more about it here.

In honor of Earth Day, The eco-friendly brand Edun is for sale today until Sunday on Swirl, one of our favorite places to score discounted clothes and accessories for cheap. This sustainable line was begun by none other than U2′s front man Bono and his wife Ali Hewson. Aside from saving the earth, we love looking awesome while doing it, and Edun’s jeans are a one way ticket to style-town. Jeans are marked down to under $50, and other separates go even lower. Several brands are up on the site in honor of earth week, including the organic line Loomstate and incredible handbag line Matt & Nat (all of their accessories are created from plastic soda bottles and other recycled materials). Also for sale, Baggu re-usable grocery bags and super-chic backpacks, and Coyuchi linens. So get shopping, and feel good about it!

This Earth Day, we’re paying tribute to one denim brand with their eye on eco-matters. M2F is a new brand, offering a greener pair of jeans manufactured with eco-conscious technology. And while you might see dull earthy hues in your head when you think of “eco-friendly”, these jeans are anything but. Their color spectrum is one of the most beautiful on the market right now. These never-before-seen colors are made possible through two interrelated, earth friendly technologies known as Made2Fade yarn and the Clear H20 Colors dye process. Together, these dynamic breakthroughs enable them to build a new kind of denim company committed to preserving the environment and helping us look so good whilst saving the planet. Read on for an exclusive Q&A.

Denim Therapy: Let’s start from the beginning. How did you know you wanted to be a designer?M2F: I’ve been a clothing designer since 1988 when I launched my own menswear brand called Legends Company USA. Until I started M2F Brand Denims two years ago, my main focus of design had always been the shirts, tees and sweatshirts you wear with jeans. I have a passion for designing clothes that are individually colored and naturally aged to feel like they’ve been worn for years.

The concept for M2F Brand jeans was created in a laboratory and is based on a yarn technology my company invented in a joint venture with a Chinese textile company. We are the first and only denim company in the world who can dye jeans into an unlimited palette of colors that look exactly like traditional blue jeans after stonewashing, sanding and grinding. Different than the solid colored jeans in the marketplace, our jeans have a white core that shows through on the surface of our jeans as color chips and fades away.

DT: Are there other denim brands you consider your immediate competition? How do you differentiate yourself from the hundreds of popular denim brands afloat right now?M2F: In the global denim marketplace, there are no other jean companies with access to our yarn technology so designing and manufacturing vintage colored jeans like we do is virtually impossible to duplicate. Unlike traditional blue jean companies who rely on a shade band of Indigo colors, we have the ability to offer unique shades of blue and an unlimited palette of deep fall colors, earth tones, jewel tones, pastels and brights. So for us, blue is just another color.

DT: Do you have any pre-designing rituals?M2F: At the beginning of our design process each season, we study the fashion blogs and fashion magazines for color trends outside of denim. The end result of our research insures we develop colors for our jeans that are consistent with knitwear, casual wear and designer fashions from around the world. It’s important for our boutiques to be able to merchandise our jeans with other fashion items in their store. That’s the fun of dressing women in vintage colored jeans.

DT: Describe the woman who represents your ideal target customer—the customer you have in mind when you’re planning a collection.M2F: Color and comfort are universally loved by women of all ages. Having said that, we design the rise, shape and length of each style with a specific customer in mind: Mini shorts and skinny leg jeans are developed for teenagers and women in their 20s, while our bootcut and flare leg jeans are fitted to a women in her 30s, 40s or 50s who is fit, but not overly obsessed with her body or weight. Our straight leg jeans can be worn as a loose fitting boyfriend jean by our younger consumers and a relaxed fit every day jean by our middle aged customers.

DT: Can you give us hint about what’s next for (following or upcoming season — Spring/Summer or Fall/Winter)?M2F: We are introducing a collection of jean jackets with our Fall 2011 collection, allowing consumers to dress in denim from top to bottom while mixing and matching colors, textures and vintage finishes within an outfit. Body styles include a fully lined army coat, a motorcycle jacket, sleeveless vest and London style denim blazer.

DT: What would be your dream collaboration? Any plans of that in the future?M2F: I am scanning the globe looking for an adventurous fabric mill to join me in developing and designing a collection of never before seen fabrics that are made from our special yarn technology. The possibilities are endless. We are working on finding that mill.

DT: What are the most popular washes/fits in the line? What are your favorites, and how would you style them?M2F: Our most popular finish is our vintage stonewash, a two hour process that naturally fades and softens our colored jeans to a point where they feel like you’ve worn them for years. I personally love our straight leg jean, fitted one size too big and cuffed at the ankle, worn with beat up old tennis shoes or army boots, a raggedy tee shirt or oversized vintage sweatshirt. On a dressier note, our flare leg or bootcut worn with a woven or knit shirt, layered under a fitted blazer and flats is super cool for day or night.

DT: Do you have any favorite/least favorite denim trends right now?M2F: Least favorite trend would be whisker patterns and sprayed on white areas in the thigh and seat of dark blue jeans. They just look fake and contrived to me. Favorite trend would be extreme washes that make jeans look and feel like their 10 yrs old.

DT: Street style and style blogs are huge in the industry right now as a source of inspiration, influencing the high end labels rather than vice versa. How much does street style influence your designing?M2F: I stay up late at night reading fashion blogs from all over the word. I love second hand thrift shop fashion with a modern bohemian edge. It’s amazing to see how creative consumers around the world can get with layers of color, textures ,vintage clothes and accessories. The faded colors and vintage finishes of our jeans look great with shirts, tees, blazers and outerwear that have a vintage edge to them.

DT: How many pairs of denim do YOU own?M2F: I live in Florida and spend the majority of my time in shorts. When I travel, my custom made Men’s M2F jeans are faded olive, brown and black.

DT: M2F what does it stand for? And why did you choose that as the name of your brand?M2F: M2F is short for Made2Fade, the trade name of our yarn technology. It also stands for Made2Fit, which our customers tell us all the time.

DT: Can you describe your eco friendly technology?M2F: Our yarn technology has been tested by the OEKO TEX lab in Switzerland, the world’s most trusted source for fiber testing. Their OEKO TEX 100 test has certified our yarn as free of chemicals that are bad for the environment and your health.

Furthermore, each and every jean we produce is individually colored in our Clear H20 dye process that uses 50% less water, energy and time than traditional textile dyeing methods. At the end of each day, our dye water is recycled and used the next day and days after until we drain it from the dye house with virtually clear water.

Earth Week is in full swing, and it’s no time like the present to pick out denim from eco-conscious brands. Along with a regular denim line, Nine in the Morning has a dedicated eco-friendly Natural Collection made from organic cotton that is dyed with vegetable indigo. Founded by brothers Umberto and Alessandro Vendramin who are textile legacy producers, they have worked with top designers such as Luigi Martell, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Prada. The jeans retail for $163 to $215.

Earth Day is less than a week away and there are lots of events to check out to participate in for a great learning experience for the whole family. One of the beautiful landmarks of Manhattan, Grand Centrail Terminal, is host to Earth Day New York’s 40th anniversary celebration! Events include a week long exhibit in Vanderbilt Hall and an Earth Fair on Vanderbilt Avenue.

Events scheduled for April 19th-24th, 2010 is as follows:

Historic Grand Central Terminal will be the home base of the 40th Anniversary celebration of Earth Day in New York. Starting on April 19th, Earth Day New York will kick off a week??™s worth of activities at Grand Central Terminal, including a six-day indoor Earth Fair at Vanderbilt Hall, April 19th-24th; and a two-day outdoor festival on Vanderbilt Avenue, April 23rd-24th. This event will also support Earth Day New York??™s newly-launched E Campaign, an ongoing initiative to make every day Earth Day, which includes a short promotional film featuring celebrities such as Matthew Modine, Adrian Grenier and Deepak Chopra.

Major sponsors of Earth Day in New York include the Metropolitan Transportation Authority,Toshiba, Home Depot and Con Edison. Media sponsors, including Planet Green, The New York Post, Metro NY and Treehugger.com have also partnered with Earth Day New York to further spread the message of the E Campaign. With their support, the E Campaign will make its way into every household across the nation with a message that will inspire Americans to talk about what they are doing to ???Be the E.???

Earth Day events at Grand Central Terminal include:

Earth Fair Indoors: April 19th -24th, 10:00 am-7:00 pm. This week long exhibit in Vanderbilt Hall from will focus on future technologies, sustainable fashion and major informative displays and exhibits, and will be themed ???The City of the Future???. Key elements include:

* The Green Shows EcoLux boutique, a high-fashion boutique selling sustainable clothing from designers such as Samantha Pleet, House of Organics and DLC Brooklyn, among many others.

* Toshiba, partnered with Twitvid, streaming live video from the event to Twitter, and giving out Toshiba Camilo Twitcams to select attendees who participate by uploading their own ???Be the E??? video messages.

* A display of Giant Earth Images, a series of environmentally-themed art and quotes from iconic artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Keith Haring.

EarthFair Outdoors: April 23rd and April 24th. This two-day festival of art, music and the environment will take place on Vanderbilt Avenue, between 43rd and 45th Streets. A large exhibit area highlighting green businesses, organic food and environmental groups will include interactive displays that not only educate, but provide an opportunity to take positive action. EarthFair also features live musical entertainment including numerous well-known performers and regional bands, and a live action baby Tyrannosaurus Rex from the world-renowned show ???Walking with Dinosaurs???.

A complete listing of Earth Day related events taking place in the New York is available at www.eday40.org.

Join Loomstate and their partners as they celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day this Wednesday, April 14, located at Good Units (at the Hudson Hotel). It’s going to be quite a party, complete with a “40 Drummers Ceremony”; live DJ sets, face painting, and other goodies. Oh, you lucky New Yorkers!

As today, April 22, 2009, is Earth Day, so many companies are taking advantage of the spirit of this occasion. To some, Earth Day means a new commitment to being a “greener” consumer. Here is a roundup of some eco-friendly, sustainable and green deals related and complementary to the world of denim: